Fallers for textile machines



Oct. 9, 1962 M FALLERS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed March 2l, 1958 Inventor /qL/L L N,

Attorney Moa/ff i it This invention relates to fallers for textile machines of the type in which the faller passes along an upper slide or path and then descends to a lower path along which it is returned to the beginning of the upper path. The speed at which the fallers pass around the paths is a major factor in controlling the speed of the machine as a whole. Thus, in order to increase the speed of operation of the machine it is necessary that the fallers themselves should be capable of a high speed of operation.

The normal type of faller for use in such a machine has a body of rectangular section, the ends of which are shaped to co-operate with the mechanism for driving the fallers along their paths as previously described. The body of the faller is either drilled to receive pins which control the bre being worked, or alternatively the pins are mounted in gills which in turn are normally attached to the body of the faller by means of rivets.

In general, fallers tend to develop weaknesses through fatigue after operating over a considerable period of time. This fatigue is largely caused by the faller dropping from tits upper path to the lower path and also by the quick return movement from the lower path to the upper path.

The tendency for the body of the faller to be effected by fatigue depends on a variety of factors such as the weight of the faller, the speed at which it operates and also on whether the material has been stressed or weakened due to the drilling of holes in the body of the bar. Fatigue may also ybe experienced in the rivets which hold the gills in position. This causes ultimate fracture of the rivet in question, leading to loosening of the gill on the faller which, in turn, may lead to further mechanical diiiculties with the faller itself.

According to the present invention a faller has its sides constituted by two strips of metal which are secured to the heads co-operating with the driving mechanism and which are spaced apart by an intermediate layer of rubfber, rubber-like material or other relatively soft resilient material to which they are bonded. This results in a construction in which the weight of the faller is considerably -reduced but which has the important advantage that the metal forming the main structure of the faller has not been weakened in any way by drilling. There is, therefore, no weakening point which may start fatigue 'stresses being formed in the metal. Furthermore, the use of the rubber or other material which is employed to till up the space between the two strips of metal acts as a shock absorber for the gills when used, so that when they descend rapidly from the top to the bottom side, a cushioning effect takes place which prevents fatigue stresses being set up in the rivets.

Preferably the intermediate layer consists of rubber vulcanized in position so as to be bonded to the side memfbers. When other forms of material are used for the intermediate layer it may be necessary to use an appropriate adhesive to form the bond between the intermediate layer and the metal sides. In either case the bond thus formed can stand up to the shear forces imposed `and gives the bar considerable lateral stiffness i,e. in the horizontal plane.

This lateral stiffness may not be sufficient, however, particularly if the fallers are relatively long. The reason for this is, of course, that the side strips have relatively little resistance to bending in this plane and although, as just mentioned, the bond between the side strips and the intermediate layer can resist shear forces the compressibility of the resilient material forming the intermediate layer nevertheless permits a greater degree of bending than if the fallers were solid. In order to increase this lateral stiffness one or more strips of metal or other hard material may be included in the body of the faller so as to lie in a plane or planes at right angles to that including the pins. In general it is found that only a single strip is necessary which may be situated either on top of the intermediate layer or within the depth of the intermediate layer. The strip does not require to be secured to the side strips since it is held in position by the bonding of the resilient material and its mere presence provides the necessary additional stiffness.

The pins of the faller may either be located in holes passing through the intermediate layer or alternatively they may be mounted in gills secured to the upper surface of the intermediate layer. In general the upper surface of the intermediate layer will be approximately level with the upper edges of the side strips and in this case it is important that the gills should be accurately fixed in position so as not to overlap the tops of the side strips. During the movement of the faller from one slide to the other there is a tendency for the faller to bend in a vertical plane while the attached gills resist this ben-ding action. With normal bars this is one of the main causes of failure of the rivets and is overcome by the provision of the resilient intermediate layer. If, however, the gills overlap the side strips the cushioning effect produced by the intermediate layer is largely lost.

As an alternative to the upper surface of the intermediate layer being level with the tops of the side strips it may lie beneath the upper edges of the side strips so that in effect the gills are partly recessed into the body of the faller. This allows the use of slightly longer pins without increasing the overall vertical dimension and at the same time the presence of the gills between the side strips increases the lateral stiffness of the faller as a whole.

Constructions of faller in accordance with the invention will now be described in more detail by way of eX- ample with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a faller with part of the middle section broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the faller shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are cross sectional views of modifications of the fallers shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of part of the faller seen in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View of a faller in which the pins are mounted in gills;

`FIGURE 7 is a modification of the construction of FIGURE 6 in which the gills are recessed within the body of the faller;

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view of a further modication of the faller shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a side view of part of the faller shown in FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a side View of a slightly greater length of yet a further form of construction of faller.

Referring rst to FIGURE l the faller illustrated cornprises essentially a central body portion 1 carrying pins 2 and fitted at its ends with Iheads 3 and 4. These heads co-operate with the driving mechanism of a screw gill box and for this purpose are formed with sloping portions 5- for engaging the threads of the screws and with slots 6 for engagement with the guides at the ends of the slides. These heads 3 and 4 and their relationship to the body 1 acer/,ce1

are exactly the same as in the normal construtcion of fallers.

The body 1 has its sides constituted by steel strips 10 and 11 secured to the heads 3 and 4, for example by brazing or welding. The strips l@ and 11 are spaced apart by an intermediate layer 12 of rubber which supports the pins 2 and which is bonded to the strips 10 and 11. During assembly the strips 1@ and 11 together with the attached heads 3 and 4 are placed in a die and un- Vulcanized rubber is placed between the two strips 16 and 11. Pressure is then exerted on the upper surface of the rubber which is then vulcanized in position. This produces a highly effective bond between the rubber and the strips and 11. Since the strips do not require to be drilled in any way a high quality tensile steel may be used, thus giving a high resistance to fatigue.

As is made clear from FIGURE 2 the pins 2 are located in holes in the intermediate layer 12 of rubber and may both readily be inserted in position and replaced when necessary. If greater lateral stiffness is required, for example in the case of a relatively long faller, the construction of FIGURE 2 may be modified as shown in FIG- URE 3 by the inclusion of a stifening strip 14 on top of the intermediate layer 12. This is placed in position prior to the vulcanizing of the rubber and is thus eiectively bonded to the upper surface of the rubber. The stiifening strip 14 is a close fit between the side strips lil and 11 but does not require to be secured to them. The presence of the strip 14 has the additional advantage that it tends to reduce any accumulation of dirt on the upper surface of the rubber 12.

In the construction of FIGURE 4 the stiifening strip shown as is embedded within the rubber 12 in the region of its mid height. Once again this strip is a close tit between the side strips 10 and 11 but does not need to be secured to them. This construction of faller is seen in side view in FIGURE 5 from which it is clear that the strip 15 extends along the length `of the faller and that the pins 2 pass through it.

In the modified constructions of FIGURES 6 to 10 the pins are mounted in gills secured to the top of the intermediate layer 12. In FIGURE 6 the gill is shown as 2t? and the pins 2 are mounted in it in the usual way. The gill 2li is riveted to the intermediate layer 12 in much the same way as to a normal solid faller. For this purpose rivets 21 are provided and in order to distribute the pressure of the rivet head 22 over the underside of the intermediate layer 12, a washer 23 is inserted. In this construction the upper surface of the intermediate layer 12 is level with the upper edges of the side strips 10 and 11. In the modification of FIGURE 7 the upper surface of the intermediate layer 12 is slightly lower than the upper edges of the side strips 10 and 11 and the gills shown as 25 are consequently recessed into the body of the faller. This allows the use of slightly longer pins 2 without increasing the overall Vertical dimension and at the same time the gills 25 exert a stiffening effect in much the same way as the strip 14 of FIGURE 3.

In the construction of FIGURE 8 gills 25 are again recessed within the body of the faller and in addition the undersurface of the intermediate layer 12 lies slightly above the lower edges of the side strips 10 and 11. The pressure of the rivet head 22 is distributed by means of a continuous strip 26, also seen in FIGURE 9, and since this lies between the side strips 10 and 11 it assists in increasing the lateral stiffness of the faller.

The View of FIGURE l0 shows gills 30` and 31 which are recessed within the body of the faller in much the same Way as gills 25 but extend slightly above the upper edges of the side strips 10 and 11. The gill 30 is shown as held in position by screws 32 rather than by rivets, while the gill 31 is held in position by rivets 33. In practice, of course, any one faller would have its gills secured either by screws or by rivets. The pressure exerted on the underside of the intermediate layer 12 is A distributed by means of short lengths of strip 34 acting in the same way as the Washers 23, a single length of strip functioning for adjacent pairs of screws or rivets.

Prolonged tests have shown that fallers made in accordance with this invention are capable of standing up for very long periods Without any difficulties being caused either in the body of the faller itself or in the means Of attaching the gills to the faller. Furthermore, `such allers are capable of running at considerably higher speeds than have been possible up to the present time.

I claim: l

l. A faller for a textile machine, said faller comprising a pair of heads for cooperation with driving 'mechanism of said machine, a pair of laterally spaced, parallel metal side strips extending between and secured to Asaid heads, an intermediateA layer of soft resilient material between said side strips and bonded thereto, and a plurality of pins mounted in said intermediate layer between said side strips, said pins being supported solely by said intermediate layer.

2. A faller according to claim 1, in which the intermediate layer consists of rubber vulcanized in position so as to be bonded to the side members.

3. A faller according to claim 1, and including at least one separate strip of metal lying in a plane at right angles to that including the pins 'so as to stifen the faller.

4. A faller according to claim 3, in which a single stiffening strip is situated on top of the intermediate layer.

5. A faller according to claim 3, in which a single stiffening strip is situated within the depth of the intermediate layer.

6. A faller according to claim l, in which the pins are located in holes passing through the intermediate layer.

7. A faller according to claim 1, in which the pins are mounted in gills secured to the upper surface of the intermediate layer.

8. A faller according to claim 7, in which the upper surface of the intermediate layer lies beneath the upper edges of the side strips.

9. A faller according to claim 8, in which the gills are secured in position by headed members passing through the depth of the intermediate layer, the pressure of the heads on the under side of the layer being distributed by means of Washers.

10. A faller according to claim 7, in which the gills are secured in position by headed members passing through the depth of the intermediate layer, the pressure of the heads on the underside of the layer being distributed by means of washers.

1l. A faller according to claim 10, in which the pressure of the heads of the securing members is distributed by means of a continuous strip extending along the underside of the intermediate layer.

12. A faller according to claim 1l, in which the underside of the intermediate layer lies above the lower edges of the side strips.

13. A faller for a textile machine, said faller consisting of a pair of heads for cooperation with the driving mechanism of said machine, a pair of separate, spaced solid, parallel, metal side members extending between and secured to said heads, an intermediate layer of soft, resilient material bonded between said side members and a plurality of pins in said intermediate layer and supported solely by said intermediate layer at points spaced inwardly from said metal side members.

14. In a pin-bearing member for combing textile fibers comprising at least one substantially rigid body mounted between and secured to a pair of end members and a plurality of pins extending outwardly therefrom; the improvement which consists of a resilient elastomeric mounting bonded to said rigid body, and each of said pins extending into said resilient mounting but not into said rigid body and being removably secured in said resilient mounting, said pins being supported solely by said resilient elastomeric mounting.

15. In a pin-bearing member for combing textile bers comprising at least one substantially rigid body mounted between and secured to a pair of end members and a plurality of pins extending outwardly therefrom; the improvement which consists of a resilient elastomeric mounting longitudinally and centrally located of and retained by said rigid body, and each of said pins extending into said resilient mounting but not into said rigid -body and being removably secured in said resilient mounting, said pins Ibeing supported solely by said resilient elastomeric mounting and held to resist withdrawal solely by the gripping action of the elastomeric mounting.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Uzrnann Dec. 27, 1927 Klutei Aug. 18, 1953 Longstreet Aug. 18, 1953 Spisak Dec. 2, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia May 18, 1956 France Apr. 7, 1954 Great Britain of 1909 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1955 Italy Oct. 1, 1952 

